Greg Lindahl <gl8f@fermi.clas.virginia.edu> writes:> There are other factors which allow short-term alliances to work,> namely reputation: If you screw someone, others will be less likely to> work with you in the future.

Fine, let's say that Olympia favors long-term "relationships." You are
right; they need not be alliances. But it favors the establishment of
trust over arms-length transactions.

Personally I think that one of the disappointments of the game is that
in order to work together effectively, a group of players has to decide
to essentially totally trust one another, and then it's in no one's
interest to break those total relationships. I don't necessarily know
how to build a game that makes it easier for people to cooperate only
occasionally --- I think ENFORCE unfortunately isn't it --- but I agree
with Scott that it would be a good thing, and could potentially make the
game more one of shifting alliances rather than entrenched camps of
players.